Town Will Help Quispamis Woman Create Awareness About Malaria

Quispamsis will be buying mosquito nets for an African village as part of World Malaria Day.
No word yet on the amount being donated but 300 dollars can protect an entire village from the disease.
Melody Mayberry is with the malaria prevention group Buy A Net and she tells CHSJ News it's good to see her community lend a hand in the fight.


She says she's trying to build it now because this province is one of the last remaining provinces to really acknowledge World Malaria Day so she's starting with her own town hoping it will grow from there.
The money will be given to Mayberry's daughter who is raising the funds for Quispamsis Elementary.   April 25th is World Malaria Day.

Volunteers Get Recognition from Quispamsis

Quispamsis honouring 12 volunteers who are making a difference in the community.

The group getting official awards from the town for their positive work with various organizations

Recipient Dean Mullin donates his time to the KV Committee For Disable Persons and tells CHSJ News it's humbling to receive such praise.

The recipients were:

Dean Mullin - KV Committee for Disabled Persons
Don McQuinn - Valley Cruisers Car Club - NB
Sandra Horton - KV Minor Ball Association
Sandra O'Neil - KV Basketball Assoc
Melissa Steeves - Rothesay Baptist Church
Peter McGinn - St. Mark's Parish
King's Way Care Centre
Ken Valley Quilting Guild
KV Firefighter Association Volunteers
Quispamsis-Islandview Lions Club

Saint John Man Wins Big Prize

If you're happy when you win a free coffee or donut from the Roll Up The Rim To Win contest at Tim Hortons, then imagine what Bernard Desmond Junior is feeling.

The Saint John man has won a 2011 Toyota Matrix, one of forty grand prizes being given out in the contest.

He will be getting the keys to his new ride in a ceremony on Tuesday.

Beds Being Reserved For Surgery Patients

The Saint John Regional Hospital is setting aside 85 to 95 beds strictly for post-op patients in an effort to cut down surgery wait times.

Executive Director of the Regional Hospital Margaret Melanson tells CHSJ News it's the first step to addressing what has been a serious issue for doctors.

A big reason for the slowdown is the high number of acute long care patients taking up beds.

She says for now, about 20 of those reserved beds will be allowed for ALEC patients if the need arises.

Eventually, only surgery patients will make use of the beds.

Crews Begin To Unwrap Seniors Complex

Some good news for seniors living in the subsidized apartment complex at Market Square -- crews are beginning to remove the plastic wrap that has enveloped the building since last fall.


The building has been wrapped to allow major upgrade work to continue through the winter months -- but -- some seniors began to complain about the lack of fresh air and view.

Social Development Minister Sue Stultz paid a visit to the complex last night to get a first hand glimpse of the situation.

Crews ran into some unforeseen structural problems and the job is now expected to be completed by early summer at a cost of just over 5-million dollars -- about 700-thousand over the original budget.

New Housing Starts Sluggish

It's a soft start to the year for new home builders in the greater Saint John area -- a new report from Canada Mortgage and Housing shows the number of new homes started up to the end of March down by almost 65-percent compared to last year.


Fredericton's starts are down by 50-percent this year while Moncton has been hit the hardest with new home construction off by almost 88-percent compared to a year ago.

City Wants More Flexibility

Common council expressing it's frustration with the lack of power they have to govern their own affairs.

They're seeking more legislative freedom to tackle key issues like fire service or handling derelict buildings.

Mayor Ivan Court says the lack of flexibility is hindering progress, like taking 5 to 10 years to get legislation changed to tear a building down.

The city, along with other municipalities in the province, have already approached the province about having more control but council plans on making their case again to the Minister of Local Government.

The Dogs Are Taking Victoriaville Seriously

With the sadness of not getting the Memorial Cup still lingering, The Saint John Sea Dogs are looking forward to round 2 of the playoffs and the race for the President's Cup.


President Wayne Long tells CHSJ News no one is underestimating Victoriaville as a team.
He calls them a great team that gave Bathurst a surprise beating them in four straight.

He says this series will be a great challenge for them, adding any team that makes it to the final 8 is a very good club. Game 1 goes tonight wth the Dogs hosting Victoriaville at Harbour Station. The puck drops at 7:30.

The Jobless Dips In The Port City And In The Province Last Month

It's a better job story in Saint John and in the Province today.
Provincially the jobless rate went down from 9.8 per cent in February to 9.6 per cent in March.  Here in Saint John, it fell from 6.6 per cent in February to 6.4 per cent last month.
Across the country, the unemployment rate fell one-tenth of a point to 7.7 from 7.8 per cent.

PRO Kids "Fun"raising Dinner Features Millrats Coach

Hundreds on hand at the Delta Hotel last night for the annual PRO Kids "fun" raising dinner.

The organization that places kids in positive recreation activites honouring Bobby Hayes of the Joshua Group for being a champion of change.
The two groups have a history of working together.

Saint John Mill Rats coach Jaren Jackson gave a speech highlighting his career in basketball and coaching and drawing attention to programs like PRO Kids offer kids who may be at risk a safe place to make friends, learn which sports they love and build confidence for the future.Jackson also announcing last night the Millrats will play a Japanese basketball team April 24th at Harbour Station in a fundraiser for relief efforts following the earthquake and tsunami last month.

You can still vote for PRO Kids to win $10,000 as part of the Irving Oil Challenge Cup.
To vote click here

Driver Charged In Death Of Cyclist

28-year-old Jason Donald Dickison of Meductic being charged in connection with the death of a cyclist on Route 7 near Petersville in September of last year.

23-year-old Andrew Wolf, of Brooklyn, N.Y., died at the scene after a collision between a transport truck and a group of cyclists.

He is being charged with driving without due care and attention and excess hours of service.  Police allege Dickison was driving more than the 13 hours allowed by law.

Dickison will appear in Hampton Provincial Court on April 11th.

Former Councillor Offers Insight Into Changing Political Roles

With Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase trying to make the move to federal politics by running as the Saint John Liberal Candidate in the federal election, Saint John Harbour MLA Carl Killen has some insight such a transition.

Killen went from city councillor to MLA after winning the seat last year and he tells CHSJ News there is a learning curve.

He says the biggest change is working as part of a political team.

Moncton Woman Facing Charges After Deadly Quispamsis Crash

A Moncton woman facing charges in connection with a crash last summer which resulted in a woman's death.
On August 19th 2010, RCMP responding to a single vehicle crash on Route 1 in Quispamsis.


22-year-old Katie Lynn Vansnick was driving with three other passengers from Saint John to Moncton when the crash occurred.

24-year-old Angela Pitre of Moncton, a passenger in the car, died in hospital the next day as a result of injuries from the crash.
Vansnick is charged with driving without due care and attention and is due to stand trial in Hampton in September.

Saint John Will Not Host The 2012 Memorial Cup

It's disappointment all around for hockey fans here in the city: Shawinigan has gotten the nod to host the 2012 Memorial Cup.

Chair of the Saint John Memorial Committe John Travis tells CHSJ News the economic spinoffs would have been huge.

Meanwhile, Sea Dogs President Wayne Long says he is confident we had the best bid and exceeded all the key criteria like facilities and logistics.
 
Long would not say whether the group will re-offer for hosting duties in 2015, only that his goal right now is to take home the President's Cup.

Bonny River Heroes Receive Awards

The Bonny River heroes being honoured for their help in the dramatic rescue of two people in a car that was swept into the Magaguadavic River at the height of last December's flooding.

Brian Barker and Rod Cooke sprang into action taking Cooke's boat and with only the light from the driver's cell phone reaching the pair in the darkness and bringing them to safety just before the car sunk.
Barker and Cooke receiving the Rescuer Awards from the Canadian Red Cross in a ceremony at the Bonny River fire hall.

Save Your Harbour Bridge Transponders

Do you need something to do with that old Harbour Bridge B-pass taking up space on your visor? The Saint Joseph's Hospital Foundation wants you keep it for now and then give it to them to help raise money.
Special Event co-ordinator Jill Logan tells CHSJ News they want to collect as many of the old transponders as possible using the manpower of the Dragon boat teams.

She says they hope to secure a deal from a buyer who will take the whole lot.
Logan says the company that buys the B-passes will recalibrate them and use them however they need to.
She adds once the deal is official, the Foundation will announce the locations where the transponders are being collected in the Greater Saint John area.

Police Using Crime Tracking Website To Fight Crime

 The website crimemapping.com and crime mapping software is the latest tool in the belt of the Saint John Police Force. 

The site shows where crimes have occurred in the city and police say if people know where crimes are occurring, they will be more likely to report suspicious activity.

The site is open to public with the option to submit anonymous tips.

Only five types of crimes will be listed initially: break-and-enters, robberies, thefts from vehicles, vehicle thefts and mischief.

The Saint John Police Force is the first agency in Atlantic Canada to use these tools.

2012 Memorial Cup Host City Announcement Coming Today

We find out today if we get the cup. The host city for the 2012 Memorial Cup will be announced this afternoon in Montreal. Selection committee president Gerald Janneteau will make the announcement.

The Sea Dogs and the Saint John 2012 Memorial Cup committee will speak to the media after in the Alpine Room at Harbour Station.

Host Comittee chair John Travis and Ross Jefferson Saint John Destination Marketing will be on hand. Sea Dogs President Wayne Long and Chairman/CEO Scott McCain are attending the announcement in Montreal.
Back in January, Sea Dogs president Wayne Long told CHSJ News he likes Saint John's chances at winning the bid.

More Pain At The Pumps Today

You will be digging deep at the pumps today as gas has gone up again.


Regular self-serve is up to 130.5 after the weekly setting.



There is an increase in the price of diesel at 134.2 while heating oil is cheaper at 116.5.

Student Groups Upset Over New University Fees

The University of New Brunswick Student Union says UNB is taking advantage of a loophole in order to get more money out of students.

Union President Shannon Carmont-McKinley tells CHSJ News UNB wants to charge students extra fees in order to sidestep the $200 dollar tuition increase cap set down in the provincial budget.

She says multiple fees are under consideration and the one that is most likely to go forward is service-related that will charge all students a chunk of money to attend the school. She says the fees could add up to as much $200 or $300 dollars.